Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-09-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
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WASHINGTON, ID. @. Sept. 10, 1887.
The numerous military bodies decket
in the brightest, and gayest Of uniforms
] that daily parade the streets Of tbs
Capital to the thrilling notes OF martha
music, wildly recall the scenes Of lasi
summers drill, and remind one that
these soldier boys are returning from q
great and glorious pageant, second only
| in magnitude and importance to thai
other Centennial of Americas progress
and triumph, celebrated with so much
eclat and enthusiasm eleven years age
in the same City of Brotherly Love,
which has just rejoiced in the COM
memoration of the Centennial of the
Constitution of the United States-that
wonderful instrument of patriotic in
spiration, destined to stand for all time
as the masterpiece of the worlds wis
dom and statecraft, and as the rock up
on which rests the greatest of Repub'
lies.
And here I will write ofa really re-
markable coincidence in this connec-
tion-indeed, almost as much so as the
death of the illustrious Jefferson fifty
years to day after he had signed the
immortal declaration that won his most
famous distinction-and that is the
death in this city of his last grand.
daughter, Mrs. Septimo Randolph
Meikleham, on the very day that the
celebration of the Constitutional began.
This aged lady bore striking resem-
blance to the great sage and patriot
who was the founder ofthe Democratic
party, and she had distinct personal
reeOllections of her honored ancestors
appearance and conversation. She
leaves three children-a son and two
daughters-the eldest of the latter, Miss
Alice, holding a small clerkship In the
Patent Office, which is the sole support
OF the family, the son being a hopeless
invalid.
The resignation of Ex-Gov. Porter as
Assistant Secretary of State and the
appointment of his successor continue
to be topics of discussion among the
politicians. There appears to be every
reason to believe that Mr.. Bayard and
Mr.. Porter were at variance on several
questions of public policy-that, in
fact, the latter was too much disposed
to assert himself in affairs of State.
Among those mentioned for the sue
cession are Congressman Belmont, of
N. j., Chairman of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs in the Forty-Ninth
Congress, and ex-Congressman Cox, of
n. c., who was Chairman of the Com
mitttee on Civil Service in the same
body. 1t is said that Mr.. Bayard re-
CARDS the latter the most favorably, on
account of his administration of the
North Carolina stateman's progressive
course on Civil Service reform, and also
his possession of considerable wealth
an important factor in a diplomatic
position. Mr.. Belmont also has wealth
to back him, and he is not without ex-
perience in matters of diplomacy. 1t is
understood that the Secretary claims
the right to select his assistant.
To distinguished Southerner who
few days since called upon the Presi-
dent to urge the appointment of one of
his constituents to the Supreme Court
vacancy, Mr.. Cleveland stated that he
had already made the selection and did
not suppose he would have reason to
change it, and although no name was
called, the visitor, from subsequent re-
marks, was firmly Impressed with the
opinion that the judicial mantle would
grace the shoulders ofSecretary Lamar.
The report of the Secretary of the In
terror, in response to the demand of the
select Committee of the Senate, of
which Mr.. Cockrell is chairman, makes
q volumn of 400 pages, printed in small
type, and gives detailed statement of
the amount and character of business
in the department and the
methods of conducting the same. 1t
also shows that there are 8, ,154 employees
Df the department-of which number
Ill are Presidential and the remainder
departmental appointees. A similar re-
port shows that there are 800 employees
in the Postoffice Department; that there
are "a, ,774 postmasters; 75 first class, 400
second, 1884 third, and 52,214 fourth.
The Illipois Democrats in office here
have formed an association for the pur-
pose of looking after the official scalps
Of ali Republicans credited to that
State a commendable example to the
Democrats of other States.